TradeStation Securities, a self-clearing brokerage firm for trading stocks, options, futures, and futures options, has announced its integration with MultiCharts, a trading platform known for its advanced charting, backtesting, and automation features.
The integration offers TradeStation clients direct access to their brokerage accounts from within the MultiCharts environment, expanding their options for deploying complex, rules-based strategies in a flexible third-party platform, according to John Bartleman, President and CEO of TradeStation Group.
“TradeStation clients can now access their brokerage accounts from within the MultiCharts platform. This integration provides additional alternatives for active traders who wish to operate from a third-party environment while maintaining their TradeStation brokerage connection,” he told Traders Magazine.
According to Bartleman, the integration gives TradeStation users the ability to execute trades through their brokerage accounts while taking advantage of MultiCharts’ scripting environment and technical features.
For programmers using C# or VB.NET, the integration introduces functionality not previously available through TradeStation’s native platform, including full .NET framework support for developing modular, object-oriented strategies within Visual Studio or other IDEs, he said.
Bartleman emphasized the technical flexibility this provides: “Traders can use scripts to access data from uncharted symbols, external databases like SQL or MongoDB, and full broker and position information.”
“They can also draw high-performance visuals using GDI, create custom toolbars and interfaces, and run multi-threaded optimizations that take advantage of today’s multi-core processors,” he added.
The integration is also tailored for automation-focused users looking to customize strategies beyond TradeStation’s built-in tools.
Automation in MultiCharts is script-driven, enabling traders to define entry and exit logic specific to each asset class, said Bartleman.
It supports automated placement of bracket orders, OCO (one-cancels-other) orders, and trailing stops immediately after position entry, he said.
Additional features, according to Bartleman, include symbol mapping that adapts to broker-specific naming conventions — a crucial capability when trading options or managing futures rollovers — and portfolio-level automation that can run strategies across multiple instruments and asset classes at once.
According to Bartleman, the integration aligns with TradeStation’s broader goal of supporting traders who rely on technical infrastructure to implement their strategies.
“The integration may be of interest to active traders and those using rules-based trading strategies,” he said. “It aligns with our vision of enabling clients with options by offering access to a broader ecosystem of select third-party platforms.”
In addition to functionality, the integration also offers cost efficiencies for active traders. Clients gain access to free equities trading, and for futures, pricing starts at $0.85 per regular contract and $0.50 for micro contracts.
